Myra Crownover: Bill to aid newborns

It is
easy to be cynical about the legislative process. It is quite reasonable to
read the news out of Austin with a sense of discontent. However, behind the
scenes, most of your elected representatives are quietly working on legislation
that will improve communities and lives across this state.

Divisive
issues like immigration, guns and abortion get much of the coverage. However,
it is the legislation that does not make the headlines that often makes the
biggest difference.

Vi
Nguyen-Kennedy, a nurse from Colleyville, lost her daughter to undiagnosed
heart defects. Her baby girl, Taryn, was a full-term baby and appeared healthy,
happy and alert. She passed her birth weight at 2 weeks and everything seemed
normal.

When Taryn
was 27 days old, she stopped breathing and her mother performed CPR on her
until paramedics arrived. After running every test they could think of at the
hospital, doctors found Taryn’s two heart defects. Unfortunately, it was too
late and baby Taryn passed away at 29 days old.

Sen. Bob
Deuell and I have been working with the March of Dimes and the American Heart
Association on legislation to ensure that no other Texas family is forced to
deal with such a terrible and preventable loss, and I am extremely pleased to
report that House Bill 740 is on its way to the governor’s desk.

In 2005,
the Texas Legislature expanded the scope of newborn screening in Texas from
seven disorders to 29 to protect the health and welfare of Texas newborns.
Since that time, more than 750 newborn Texans have been saved from debilitating
disease and death as a result of newborn screening and the state of Texas has
saved millions of dollars in health care costs.

The law
is working well. However, medical experts in Texas and across the country now
see the need for an additional screening test for Critical Congenital Heart
Disease (CCHD). Unfortunately, the screening for CCHD cannot be added to the
approved list without legislation. That is why I filed House Bill 740.

Recent
medical studies have demonstrated the need for pulse oximetry as a tool to help
identify CCHD. Hospitals routinely perform hearing, sight and reflex tests at
birth to assess the health of the newborn.

It only
makes sense to add a non-invasive pulse oximetry screening to that list. The
equipment needed for the test is already standard in most hospitals.

The
results, determined within minutes, estimate the percentage of hemoglobin in
blood that is saturated with oxygen and determine whether there are low levels
of oxygen — a sign that there could be congenital heart disease and further
testing or a physician consultation needs to take place.

Without
the test, parents and children could be surprised days, months or years down
the road with a fatal defect that could have been identified at birth. If they
are not diagnosed soon after birth, an infant with CCHD is at great risk for
death or a lifetime of complications and serious debilitating medical
conditions.

More than
14,000 children are born in Texas each year with some heart condition or
congenital irregularity, and cardiac defects account for nearly 30 percent of
infant deaths.

Of all
infant deaths caused by birth defects, nearly one in three is the result of a
congenital heart defect that could be identified at birth by this simple test.

Thousands
of lives will be impacted, and these Texas babies will undoubtedly go on to
lead productive, healthy lives as the next generation of teachers, nurses,
doctors and parents — the future of Texas.

REP. MYRA CROWNOVER has represented District
64 in the Texas House of Representatives since 2000. House District 64 includes
Denton, Lake Dallas, Corinth, Shady Shores, Hickory Creek, Krum, and the
northwest part of Denton County.

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